Boy Jesus

'Enlightening and engaging, this is a must read for everyone interested in the historical Jesus and the birth of Christianity.'

Nick Holmes, author of The Roman Revolution: Crisis and Christianity in Ancient Rome

What would Jesus have witnessed, experienced and felt as a boy growing up in first-century Galilee?

Jesus lived at a time of deep social disturbance, as the Jewish people struggled to come to terms with Roman occupation. As a boy, he was a refugee, an outsider, an immigrant in the Galilee in which he grew up. He was also a witness to horrific atrocities carried out by the occupying Roman overlords and their client rulers. All this and more is explored in this scholarly but highly accessible investigation.

Joan Taylor, a world authority on the history and literature of the first century CE, draws both on the latest archaeological findings and on the historical clues to be found within key texts of the period. The result is a book that brings the story of Jesus' identity, birth and boyhood clearly to life as never before, while also pointing to the many ways in which his experiences as a child are likely to have influenced him as an adult.

Contents

Figures and Plates

Acknowledgements

Timeline

1. Identity: Jew, Judahite and Judaean

2. Heritage: Seed of David

3. Location: Bethlehem

4. Born Jesus: The Gospel of Matthew

5. Born Jesus: Luke and Beyond

6. Refugee: Into Egypt

7. Return: A Time of Hope

8. Growing up Galilean

9. Growing up Jesus

10. Boy Jesus in the Temple

Conclusions

Abbreviations

Notes

Index

'Boy Jesus considers all the ancient texts and archaeological data connected with Jesus' birth and early years and comes up with some surprising conclusions... This is Joan Taylor at her best, offering an original, imaginative, clearly written and deeply thoughtful analysis of a range of exceptionally powerful texts. Her deep erudition and balanced judgement are everywhere on display.' -- Helen K. Bond, Professor of Christian Origins, University of Edinburgh
'Boy Jesus is perhaps the most thorough, accessible and compelling contextual treatment of Jesus' life to date. Everything from his tribal identity to his family and trade are given close examination. This book will be prized by anyone studying the historical Jesus or the Gospels, scholar or pastor alike.' -- Gary M. Burge, Adjunct Professor of New Testament, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
'A thought-provoking and innovative investigation of a subject usually supposed beyond the reach of historians.' -- Ken Dark, Visiting Professor of Archaeology and History, King’s College London
'Enlightening and engaging, this is a must-read for everyone interested in the historical Jesus and the birth of Christianity.' -- Nick Holmes, author of The Roman Revolution: Crisis and Christianity in Ancient Rome
'Beautifully written and richly illustrated, Boy Jesus weaves recent archaeological discoveries with insightful textual analyses to construct the crucial background for understanding the world and memories behind the Jesus of the Gospels. A must read for anyone interested in the historical Jesus and Christian origins.' -- Jonathan L. Reed, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, University of La Verne, California

Joan Taylor (Author)Joan Taylor is Professor Emerita of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism, King’s College London, and Honorary Professor in Biblical and Early Christian Studies, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. Her recent books include The Essenes, the Scrolls and the Dead Sea (OUP, 2012), What Did Jesus Look Like? (Bloomsbury, 2018) and (with Helen Bond) Women Remembered: Jesus' Female Disciples (Hodder, 2022).Philip Law (In-House Editor)Philip Law is Publishing Director for SPCK and Lion Books. His previous books include The One Hour Bible (SPCK, 2018), A Time to Pray: 365 classic prayers to help you through the year (Lion, 2002) and The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer (SPCK/Crossroad, 1995/ 2009). He is also a contributor to the 6th edition of The Lion Handbook to the Bible (Lion, 2025).

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